Congratulations, Cranford, on the five collectibles now part of the New Jersey Historical Wooden Village collection, a group of over 40 Jersey collectibles. Each keepsake brings awareness to historic Cranford icons. The Mr. Local History Project group is a non-profit 501c that relies on fundraisers like this to expand our history programs, so every time you grow your collection, you’re continually supporting the non-profit efforts to invest in the keepsake program with new collectibles.
Launch Party – Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Congratulations Cranford, New Jersey
Order your own Cranford, New Jersey, wooden keepsake collection Here.
Pieces are available individually, and a special discounted Cranford 5-piece bundle is available as well!
Why is it not available at a downtown Cranford store? There just isn’t enough profit for a retail store to make money on such a venture. The non-profit Mr. Local History Project takes all proceeds and invests in more collectibles. The collection now crosses New Jersey with over 40 keepsakes, and we’ll keep growing. But we love Cranford so much that we felt compelled to produce these five Cranford icons.
If anyone knows a place we can at least showcase the collection, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Us
The Mr. Local History Non-Profit Picks Up where the Cranford Garden Green Thumb left off, with a New Set of Cranford Keepsakes – Exclusively through the MLH Online Gift Shop – Order Yours Now.
See the Collection
Simple online ordering. Not available in stores. Just click the store icon and the keepsake you’re interested in.
The Mr. Local History Project (MLH) has been preserving and promoting Jersey’s local history since our non-profit organization was established back in 2019. The all-volunteer group started a wooden miniature keepsake program to share history and artwork in partnership with the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village Company of Ohio. We learned that the Cranford Garden Club had over 16 similar wooden collectibles that ended years ago. We want to support New Jersey’s local history and include some of Cranford’s history in our new collection.
Many have written us about a previous Cranford keepsake collection. The Green Thumb Garden Club started the Cranford Landmark Series in the early 2000s. Cranford resident Gerri Livelli began it as a fundraiser for the Club, and it paid for the “Fountain” that sits outside of the Post Office Plaza in Cranford and other small gardening projects throughout town over the years. All our pieces are long retired and out of production.
We are supporting Cranford, New Jersey’s history via our MLH keepsake project, and we hope the community will strongly support interest in Cranford’s history. The idea was made possible by then 501c3 non-profit Mr. Local History Project and Brooks Betz, a Trustee whose family once owned the Cranford Canoe Club. The keepsakes bring awareness to historic icons in town as Betz plans to one day nominate the Cranford Canoe Club to the State and National Registries of Historic Places (a complicated process). The group is a non-profit 501c that relies on fundraisers like this to expand our history programs, so every time you grow your collection, you’re continually supporting the non-profit efforts to invest in the keepsake program with new collectibles.
The Cranford Canoe Club is one of the oldest canoe clubs in the United States and a community landmark of Cranford’s identity for over a century. The current canoe club, while not the first, is the Rahway River’s last surviving canoe club. Late in the 19th century, Cranford saw the formation of many informal boating/hockey clubs. The Cranford Canoe Club originated in the “Shanty Gang,” which held meetings in Alfred Clark’s red “Lobster Shanty” canoe livery at Normandie Place and Riverside Drive. In 1904 or 1906 the Shanty Gang renamed themselves the Skeeter Club and then in 1907 formalized as the Cranford Canoe Club. The current structure was originally the Ulhigh Canoe Club. After serving as a club, the facility was run as a private business first by George Apgar until 1972, then by the Betz family of Westfield alongside the Canoe Club Workers of America (CCWA) until 1990, when the facility was sold to the Township of Cranford. The Cranford Canoe Club resided in three locations: Normandie and Springfield Avenues, Springfield Avenue, and its last location on the corner of Springfield Avenue and Orange Avenue. The Rahway River provides approximately two miles of river in Cranford for canoeing. While no longer a formal club the facility remains a seasonal livery operation keeping the tradition of Cranford as the “Venice of New Jersey,” serving now as New Jersey’s oldest canoe livery operation.
On November 29, 1926, the swanky New Branford Theatre with 1300 seats, a stage, and a $18,000 Wurlitzer pipe organ opened on the site of Cranford’s old Township Building with actor Noah Beery Sr. starring in the silent film Padlocked. An issue over the name of the theater was ironed out and the “B” on the electric sign was replaced with a “C” as the new signs were lit with the name “Cranford Theatre.” Giddy with excitement, the Cranford Chronicle gushed: “The New Branford is Dead! Long live the New Cranford!” By 1941, Warner Brothers was operating the theater. Remodeled to 1209 seats, it remained unchanged until the 1980s when the theater was twinned. In 1998, the owner of the Rialto Theater in nearby Westfield purchased the theater and converted it to a five-screen movie house. Following a rough patch of corporate ownerships from 2014 to 2019, the theater was purchased by Jesse and Doreen Sayegh and reopened November 8, 2019. Honoring history, the Cranford Theater was presented with the Cranford Historical Society’s Historic Preservation Award.In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, forced the theater’s temporary closure. “We’re definitely not going down without a fight,” responded the Sayeghs, who opened a “pop-up drive-In” to keep going. A portion of the ticket proceeds gets donated to various organizations, including frontline healthcare workers.Televisions, VCRs, streaming services and even pandemics have challenged local theaters’ existence, but they continue to survive as long as the community provides support. Events such as Dinner & a Movie, free night Golden Tickets, and private movie screenings help keep the public coming back. In 2021, the theater hosts the Garden State Film Festival (GSFF). Honoring history, the Cranford Theater was presented with the Cranford Historical Society’s Historic Preservation Award. The Cranford Theater continues writing its next chapter in the history books.
Riverside Inn c. 1900 – “The Dive” on the Rahway River Cranford, New Jersey
The Riverside Inn along the Rahway River, affectionately known as “The Dive,” has been a cherished establishment in Cranford, New Jersey. Its origins date back to the early 20th century, the building was erected in 1900 along the Rahway River coining the town’s cliché as the “Venice of New Jersey.”Initially a flower shop, its unassuming facade was pivotal during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. In those years, the basement of the building operated as a speakeasy, as evidence remains on the basement walls, depicting bottles and barkeeps—a reminder of the resident’s defiance of Prohibition laws. Significant floods have tried and failed to drown out the Riverside Inn. The Rahway River flooded over twelve times: July 1938, May 1968, August 1971 and 1973, July 1975, June 1992, October 1996, July 1997, September 1999, April 2007, Hurricane Irene in 2011, and Hurricane Ida in 2021. After each tragedy, people often stated, “There is more water inside the Dive than the River.” But after each devastating flood, the “River-Dive” underwent repairs to restore operations. In 1995, lifelong Cranford resident Peter “Jake” Jacobs and his brother Jeff (Jocco) purchased the bar. Today, patrons appreciate its status as a community hub where generations gather to enjoy a uniquely local atmosphere that blends history, art, and local flavor, maintaining its reputation as the beloved “River-dive.”
Cranford High School – 1938 Cranford, New Jersey
Established in 1902, Cranford High School in Cranford, New Jersey, began as a four-year institution housed within the Grant School. 1914, it relocated to the Cleveland School, on the corner of Cleveland Place and Garden Street, to accommodate a growing student body. By the early 1930s, the Cleveland School operated over capacity, prompting discussions for a dedicated high school building. Despite initial resistance from voters, construction of the current facility commenced in 1937, and the new building was opened and dedicated on January 27, 1938. At the opening, CHS welcomed around 950 students. Cranford High School started at the new location, where students in grades 10 through 12 were enrolled. The ninth grade was moved to what was then the Cleveland Junior High School (grades 7–9). This arrangement continued until 1992, when the High School transitioned back to a 4-year high school, beginning with the 1992-1993 academic year. The Cougar, CHS’s mascot, was chosen to symbolize strength, agility, and courage. The school colors of royal blue symbolize loyalty, wisdom, and confidence, while gold represents success & achievement. Carol “The Blaze” Blazejowski, a 1974 graduate of Cranford High School, helped establish the school’s girls basketball team. She became one of the greatest scorers in the history of women’s basketball and would later earn her induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Sports Illustrated would call Blazejowski “the most relentlessly exciting performer in the history of women’s basketball”. She would later serve as the President & General Manager of the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Many feel Blaze is the most famous alum to ever graduate from CHS. While the school’s primary arch-rival is Clark’s Johnson Regional High School, Westfield High School is also considered a significant rival, especially in sports like wrestling and football. Currently, the school serves over 1,000 students across 9th-12th grades.
The Cranford Hotel c.1882 – Cranford, New Jersey
The Cranford Hotel, as seen today, bears a strong resemblance to its earliest days. Built in 1893 by John and Martin Hess, the current building replaced an earlier 1882 structure on the South Avenue side of the block that burned down; chose the location adjacent to the train tracks to ensure it was a popular stop for businessmen returning home from a long day of work in New York City. The hotel fronted directly on the railroad tracks until the level track crossing was eliminated in 1930. The railroad tracks were just outside the front door, at grade level in the days before the entire line was elevated to eliminate conflicts with road traffic. In addition to sleeping rooms, the hotel included a bar and a produce store on the ground floor. On April 6, 1946, the Hess Hotel was sold from the Hess estate to Cranford’s DiTullio family, the first of three generations to steward the establishment. Frank Sr and his brother Billy purchased the establishment for just $2759. The Cranford Hotel remained used as a hotel, restaurant, and commuter bar until the early 70s. The upstairs area now showcases a charming restaurant and bar with a view of downtown Cranford. Downstairs is a cozy pub area with a beautiful, lovely fireplace. Many don’t know the fireplace area was formerly a bowling alley. At the same time, no longer boarding guests, the 2nd and 3rd floors were fully renovated during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now private offices. The Cranford Hotel is the oldest continuously operated family-run business in Cranford and remains a historical icon for all to enjoy.
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